August has flown by, but fortunately we had a terrific summer season here in Sea Isle City! Throughout the past few months, our beaches were filled with happy people, our summer events attracted huge crowds, and, for the most part, Mother Nature was extremely cooperative (and on some occasions she was down-right generous with mild temperatures and long stretches of sunny days).

Even though most of us don’t like to see the summer end, the consolation prize is the arrival of September and the other wonderful autumn months that follow. For many folks, autumn is their favorite time of year to be in Sea Isle City – thanks to beautiful weather conditions, quieter beaches, and other factors that make this season so very special. With that in mind, I hope everyone gets to spend as much time with us as possible during the months ahead, not only so you can delight in Sea Isle’s amazing natural beauty and outstanding autumn weather, but also so you can enjoy the lineup of community events that are coming your way this fall.

As is our annual tradition, we once again gathered on August 26 to honor the memory of Sea Isle City Police Officer Michael “Mickey” Cullinane on the thirty-second anniversary of his untimely death. For those who may not recall, Officer Cullinane lost his life while saving a stranded worker from a construction pit in 1992, leaving behind a wife, a son, and many other family members and friends who continue to miss him. I want to thank everyone who joined us last week to honor Officer Cullinane at Sea Isle City’s Police Memorial Park at 26th Street and Landis Avenue, which is where Mickey lost his life – and I hope everyone will take the time to visit that park in the near future to help keep his memory alive.

I recently had the pleasure of spending time with a very nice young man named Aiden Beck, who I introduced during the August 27 City Council meeting as Sea Isle’s honorary “Mayor for the Day.” Interacting with good kids like Aiden (and his younger brother Keegan) gives me great hope for the future, and my thanks go to them both for being very polite and serving as fine examples for other children.

Last week, I was also honored to speak with a gentleman named Kevin O’Dare, who stepped to the microphone during the August 24 City Council meeting and shared some very kind words about how Sea Isle City is being run. When he finished speaking, Kevin presented the city with a miniature replica of a Sea Isle City Beach Patrol lifeboat, which obviously was a very thoughtful gesture. My thanks go to Kevin for his kindness, and I hope he and his loved ones continue to enjoy many happy years ahead here in Sea Isle City!

In addition to spending time with our “Mayor for the Day” and Mr. O’Dare, the August 24 City Council Meeting was also enhanced by the approval of Resolution 150, which adopted the annual update to the Atlantic Cape Multi-Jurisdictional Program for Public Information. For those of you who are scratching your heads and wondering “What is the ACMJPPI?” – here is a brief explanation…

Sea Isle City is a founding signee and active member of the Atlantic Cape Coastal Coalition, which is a non-profit organization consisting of municipalities that strive to advance flood information to the public. The ACMJPPI was created by the Coastal Coalition to help participating communities maintain their good standing in FEMA’s CRS Program. Because of such efforts, qualifying Sea Isle City property owners continue to receive the highest discounts on Flood Insurance Premiums in the State of New Jersey (35%), which is a huge feather in our “proverbial cap” – and I want to thank all of the local property owners and everyone else who helps us maintain that impressive standard!

In other news, I will be hosting a Roundtable Discussion with other mayors from Cape May County on Friday, September 6, to discuss Governor Murphy’s recent Executive Order 100, which directs the NJDEP to propose new rules that would expand flood hazard areas and implement stricter building standards across the state, thus imposing more regulations on people who live or make a living in coastal zones. Many of us feel that much more discussion needs to take place before these types of standards can be implemented, so we have enlisted our legislative representatives here in District 1 to assist us with the effort. To shed more light on these concerns, a letter sent to District 1 residents from Senator Mike Testa and Assemblymen Antwan McClellan and Erik Simonsen is attached to this newsletter message; and more information on this topic will follow as we continue to address this issue.

Before closing, I want to thank all of Sea Isle City’s municipal employees who worked very hard to make the summer of 2024 safe and enjoyable – including our Police Department, Beach Patrol, EMT’s, Public Works employees, Firefighters, Tourism Officials, Beach Tag Inspectors and Recreation employees. My thanks also go to the many volunteers who make Sea Isle City such an amazing community, including our wonderful Beachcomber Tour Guides, the Chamber of Commerce members who helped run this summer’s Open Mic Nights for teens, and Mary Sheilds and the many volunteers and civic club members who helped ensure the success of our 2024 Shooting Stars Basketball Program for youths with special needs. –Thank you all!

Also, please be aware that we are already starting to make plans for the summer of 2025 – therefore, if you liked what you saw in 2024, please keep your eyes on the future as everyone in Sea Isle City enjoys much more summer-fun to come!

This week’s “Shout Out” goes to Eileen Martin, the Principal of Makefield Elementary School in Yardley, Pennsylvania. Earlier this summer, Ms. Martin sent a postcard to each of her students that encouraged them to “steer your own ship with courage and curiosity” while “sailing into our hopes and dreams.” In addition to what is obviously good advice from Ms. Martin, the postcard also included a photo of her with her school’s mascot sitting in a Sea Isle City lifeguard boat. I want to thank Ms. Martin for sharing such encouraging words (and that terrific photo) with her students, and I wish her and every child who is returning to school this month a successful and productive semester ahead!

Smile…You’re in Sea Isle!

Mayor Leonard C. Desiderio